FLINT, MI – Losing wasn’t an option for 16-year-old Jonathan Fife in his first international track meet last week.

The lanky, Flint Southwestern sprinter dusted the competition July 7 at the Down Under Sports international Track & Field Meet on the Gold Coast in Australia. He won a gold medal in the 100-meter dash in a career-best 10.9 seconds for the 16-17 year old division.

“I didn’t want to come back without a first-place medal,” Fife said. “I always have confidence knowing that I’m going to do my best. Normally when I’m in the blocks down here, my heart isn’t beating as fast as it was down there.”

Fife didn’t succumb to the pressure, though. He used it to his advantage by also earning a silver medal with a second-place finish in the 200 with a 22.9 and second in the 400 meter relay at 43.20. Fife’s unfamiliar setting propelled him to reach record-breaking results on the track.

“I was really nervous running against them even though I knew their times weren’t as fast as mine,” said Fife. “To go over there and see people that I’ve never seen before in my life was really different.”

One familiar face that Fife did recognize was his best friend and Knights classmate Mildrenae Young who also made the Australian trip to compete. She finished No. 7 in the 100 meter finals in 13.02 seconds and earned bronze on the third place on Team USA’s 4x100 meter relay team at 52.50.

Young and Fife didn’t have much time to hang out during the actual three-day event July 5-7 – because of the rigorous schedule -- but the two were able to connect on the Hawaiian retreat, June 8-11, when things winded down. Fife enjoyed the scenery, took pictures with kangaroos and more importantly handled his business on the track. That experience has him ready to work harder heading into his junior campaign of high school.

“He was looking forward to really winning the 100,” Southwestern boys track coach Anthony Brown said. “For some reason, he’s got this thing about hating to lose the 100. He told me when he left that he would show some speed that they’ve never seen and I like that. It shows me how confident he is.”